Lawyers have described as unconstitutional the action of some members of a Muslim group who stormed a worship centre in the Alalubosa area of Ilorin, Kwara State, which hosts both Christian and Islamic services.

The group members who said they were acting on the instruction of the Emir Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, stated that the centre, originally a mosque, had been accommodating worshippers from other religions.

“We are here because of the report that the mosque in Alubosa, Ilorin, where Christians, Muslims, and even traditionalists worship. We observe this practice which should not happen in this town,” the man who led the group declared in a video that surfaced on Facebook and sighted by our correspondent on Thursday.

Lawyers have, however, faulted the action of the group members.

“It is very wrong under the 1999 constitution as amended for anyone, even the government that has overriding power, to stop anyone from practising any kind of religion,” a lawyer, Bimpe Adelowo, said.

He added that, “Under the Nigerian constitution, the right to religion is the fundamental right of every citizen. Irrespective of the religion you belong to or how you practise, it is between you and your deity.

“In that same Ilorin or thereabout, there are a lot of judgments regarding the use of hijab. The Supreme Court pronounced that anyone has the right to practise any religion he or she believes in. It shows that if the Supreme Court has affirmed the right to religion and conscience, it doesn’t matter what you practice.

“I think it is very wrong for anyone to go and disrupt their worship centre. Any victim of such an attack has the right under the law to approach the court to enforce his fundamental human right,” he said.

He added that members of the Muslim group can approach the court to get an injunction instead of taking the law into their own hands.

“But I doubt if there is any court that will grant them their prayer,” he added.

Another legal practitioner, Adeyemi Fowosere, described the action of the group members as unconstitutional.

“It is unconstitutional. No matter what the act of the said group might have looked in the face of a particular sect, it is not in their power and duty to go and shut it down. It is unlawful.

“The Constitution gives the right to freedom of association and the right to religion. It is not the duty of one person to gate keep which religion one should practise,” Fowosere said.

Also, Oriloye Fuad said the law gives anyone the right to profess their religion and manifest it.

He said, “The only excuse you can give for this is if they are operating a Sharia law and if that Sharia law is recognised by the constitution. Even at that, any other law that contravenes the Constitution is null and void.

“Section 38 of the constitution makes provision for freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

“Laws are made for the people and not the people for the law. What they can do is discuss this out of court and have a dialogue. The law is what is handicapping them from doing something about it. I think that is what was done in the Isese case.

“If you cannot do that to a church or Christianity, you shouldn’t be able to do it to anyone. Based on law, no law justifies their action to request that they stop,” he emphasised. (The PUNCH)

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